Stellanits, the parent company of Fiat, Jeep, Peugeot, Maserati and many more are testing a loop of road that can charge electric cars as they drive over. This is done by embedded charging coils underneath the surface. So far, tests with the new Fiat 500 have displayed that this could potentially unlock unlimited range for electric vehicles.
This road is located just outside Milan in northern Italy and is named ‘Arena Del Futuro’ (Arena of the Future). This 0.65 mile loop of road in Chiari has also been used to test 5G connectivity technology and road surface optimisations. But the primary goal is to test Stellantis’s Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (DWPT) technology, a wireless on-road charging system.
To install this system, small grooves must be cut into the road surface in order for a series of inductive charging coils can be fitted and connected to a power supply. When activated, the coils beneath the asphalt send power to the passing vehicles overhead, provided they have the receiver. A potential challenge is that we car must be lined up perfectly with the coils, but this may be solved with the further introduction of autonomous self driving cars.
Currently, the electric power provided goes straight to the motor rather than the battery, so it does not charge the battery but instead becomes the primary power source for the motor, saving the battery for later journeys. The power transfer efficiency is said to be comparable to fast charging stations, and Stellantis claim the magnetic fields have no effect on the driver and passengers and are safe to walk over. There is also further potential for the power of the system to be provided by renewable energy options.
Whether the system will be rolled out to public highways is yet to be realised. To develop this on a commercial and mass scale would cost a considerable amount of investment and time.